Rising operating costs and increasingly aggressive price bargaining are squeezing small-business owners in Port Harcourt, with traders appealing to government and corporate organisations to help reduce the cost of doing business.
The concerns took centre stage at the fifth edition of AWOOF FAIR PITAKWA, held on November 7 and 8 at Model Secondary School, GRA, Port Harcourt, where vendors and shoppers shared their experiences of doing business and spending in a challenging economy.
A survey conducted by the organisers, AWOOF FAIR NAIJA, among a cross-section of participating vendors found that about two-thirds reported increased operating costs over the past year, while nearly six in 10 said customers were demanding discounts more frequently.
The pressure reflects the wider cost-of-living challenge confronting households and businesses. National Bureau of Statistics data put food inflation at 19.59 per cent in September 2026, compared with headline inflation of 14.63 per cent. Rivers State’s food inflation rate stood at 26.8 per cent, among the highest recorded nationally.
The organisers’ survey further showed that nearly half of the vendors had sought cheaper suppliers to manage rising expenses, while about four in 10 had increased their prices. Others, estimated at one in six, said they had accepted lower profit margins to keep their businesses running.
Despite the challenges, the fair provided a welcome sales opportunity, with about six in 10 vendors reporting higher sales than they would ordinarily record over a two-day period. Nearly half also identified their businesses as the main source of income for their households.
For some traders, however, the growing appetite for discounts is becoming another burden on already strained profit margins.
Okagua Joyce Spencer, a fabric vendor operating as House of Joyce, said customers continued to bargain aggressively even when goods were already being offered at reduced prices.
She illustrated the situation with shoppers offering N2,000 for six yards of Ankara fabric, questioning how traders could sustain their businesses at such prices.
Chinwe, a full-time perfume seller, said vendors also needed reasonable profits to meet their personal and household needs.
“We also want to make gain, because that’s where we eat from,” she said.
Blessing, a kitchen accessories vendor, identified the cost of venue hire, canopies, electricity and security as major expenses confronting traders and fair organisers.
She appealed to government to support organisers by taking responsibility for one or two of these expenses, arguing that such intervention could reduce stall charges and enable vendors to make better returns.
For buyers, the fair offered an opportunity to stretch household budgets through discounted purchases.
Teresa, a salary earner who spent N6,000 on jeans, small chops and food, described the experience as worthwhile.
“This is a very good buy,” she said.
However, the affordability of the goods was not universal. A student shopping for kitchen items for a new home described the prices as regular, saying they were “exactly fair”.
Vendors cited children’s clothing selling for between N4,000 and regular-market prices of N13,000 to N15,000, while standing fans reportedly sold for N65,000 to N75,000 compared with N130,000 to N170,000 elsewhere.
These price comparisons were provided by vendors and were not independently verified.
Speaking on behalf of participating vendors, Ann Ejike called for improved government policies and a more supportive business environment, warning that prevailing economic conditions were making it increasingly difficult for small-business owners to operate sustainably.
Mandu Okon Ogolo, popularly known as DeclutterMama and founder and convener of AWOOF FAIR NAIJA, also appealed to government, corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals to support small businesses, particularly women-led enterprises.
“Just support women, small business owners,” she urged.
Beyond providing a marketplace for discounted goods, the fifth edition of AWOOF FAIR PITAKWA exposed the difficult balance facing small traders: keeping prices attractive to cash-strapped consumers while earning enough to sustain their businesses and support their families.
For the vendors, the appeal is clear: affordable marketplaces, reduced operating costs and practical institutional support could make the difference between merely keeping businesses open and building enterprises capable of surviving the current economic pressures.
